Mounting assembly



A nl 1, 1969 R. a. FOLTZ 3,436,047

MOUNTING ASSEMBLY Filed April 10. 1967 Q/M, 7 we W 9 J, M J

3,436,047 MOUNTING ASSEMBLY Robert E. Foltz, Sterling, Ill., assignor to Lawrence Brothers, Inc., Sterling, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Filed Apr. 10, 1967, Ser. No. 629,533 Int. Cl. E04g 17/18 US. Cl. 248317 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a mounting assembly including a plurality of mutually interchangeable mounting brackets for suspending a track from a support surface and bracing the track against movement relative to the support surface.

provided between the track and the ceiling to brace the track against sway or sidewise movement relative to the ceiling.

The tracks and support rods are usually connected to the ceiling with a plurality of sets of brackets. Each set of brackets generally includes at least three different types of bracket. A first type of bracket is required for conmeeting the support rod to the ceiling. A second type of bracket is required for connecting the brace rod to the ceiling. A third type of bracket is provided for interconnecting the support rods and brace rod. Since these three types of brackets serve different purposes, they have different shapes. The installation of a suspended track requires large numbers of each type of bracket. The obtaining of requisite materials for installing a track is complicated by the necessity of specifying and order detailing the number of each kind of bracket required. The track installation is complicated by the necessity of locating and positioning the different types of brackets in their proper relationship with each other and the associated support and brace rods. Of course, the production of three different types of brackets increases the inventory requirements of both a manufacturer and a distributor.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a mounting assembly which overcomes the aforementioned limitations of prior art constructions. Specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide a mounting assembly which uses mutually interchangeable mounting brackets for supporting and bracing a track to simplify specifying, order detailing and installing the track.

Another object of this invention is to provide an inexpensive mounting bracket for a suspended track installation.

Another object of this invention is to provide a mounting bracket which enables a suspended track to be readily adjusted vertically relative to a support surface or ceilmg.

These and other objects and features of the invention will become more apparent upon a consideration of the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mounting assembly for a suspended track installation;

FIG. 2 is a plan view, taken along the line 2-2, illustrating the interrelationship of a brace rod, a support rod and a mounting bracket for interconnecting the brace and support rods;

atent O 3,436,047 Patented Apr. 1, 1969 FIG. 3 is an elevational view, taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2, showing the interrelationship of the brace and support rod, the mounting bracket, the track, and a track support bracket for connecting the support rod to the track; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view, taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1, illustrating the interrelationship of a support rod mounting bracket and a support surface from which the track is suspended.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, a mounting assembly 10 for suspending a track 12 from a ceiling or support surface 14 is illustrated in FIG. 1. The mounting assembly 10 includes a vertically extending steel riser or support rod or shaft 16 and a steel brace or side rod or shaft 18. The support rod or shaft 16 transfers a load applied to the track 12 by a carriage or trolley (not shown) to the ceiling 14. The. brace rod 18 steadies or holds the track 12 against swaying or sidewise movement relative to the ceiling 14. The support rod 16 is connected by a support rod mounting bracket or fixture 22 to the ceiling or support surface 14. The brace rod 18 is connected to the ceiling by a brace rod mounting bracket or fixture 24. The support rod 16 and brace rod 18 are interconnected by a connector mounting bracket or fixture 26 which is mounted adjacent to a track support bracket 30. The mounting brackets 22 through 26 are substantially identical in structure, so that the mounting brackets are mutually interchangeable. Thus, any one mounting bracket can be substituted for any other mounting bracket, that is the mounting bracket 22 can be substituted for either the mounting bracket 24 or the mounting bracket 26 and the mounting brackets 24 and 26 can be substituted for any other mounting bracket in the mounting assembly 10.

The interrelationship of the mounting bracket 26, the track support bracket 30, the support rod 16 and the brace rod 18 is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 2 and 3. The mounting bracket 26 is cast as an integral structure of aluminum in a preferred embodiment of the invention. However, the bracket 26 can be machined or forged from other metals. The bracket 26 includes a cylindrical radially outwardly projecting base flange 34 and an axially projecting body section 36. A cylindrical vertical support rod channel or passage extends through the body section 36 and base flange 34 from an outer end surface 42 of the body section 36 to a flat circular outer surface 44 of the base flange 34 (see FIG. 3). The support rod passage 40 is positioned centrally of the base flange 34 so that a longitudinal central axis 48 of the support rod 16 extends through the center of the flange 34. A second passage 52 is formed in the body section 36 of the bracket 26. The second passage 52 has a longitudinal axis 54 which extends at an angle of approximately degrees with the central axis 48 of the support rod 16 and passage 46. The passage 52 intersects the passage 40, as is perhaps best seen in FIG. 3, so that an end portion of the brace rod 18 engages an end portion of the support rod 16. To facilitate the formation of the passage 52, a side surface 58 is formed on the body section 36 and extends perpendicularly to the central axis 54 of the passage 52.

A plurality of set screws 60, 62 and 64 are mounted in the body section 36 for engagement with the support rod 16 and brace rod 18 to fixedly interconnect the mounting bracket 30 and the support rod 16 and brace rod 18. It should be noted that a pair of set screws and 62, spaced apart from each other, are provided for interconnecting the support rod 16 and the mounting bracket 26, since the support rod 16 transmits a relatively large load from the track 12 to the mounting bracket 22 on the ceiling 14. v

The track 12 is formed of aluminum, or other suitable material, and includes a pair of opposite inwardly facing I-shaped leg sections 68 and 70* which are interconnected by a horizontally extending connector section 72. The bracket is also formed of aluminum and has a cross sectional configuration which is somewhat similar to the cross sectional configuration of the track 12. The support bracket 30 includes a pair of opposite inwardly facing J-shaped leg sections 74 and 76 whose inner surfaces engage outer surfaces of the J-shaped leg sections 68 and 70 of the track 12. The J-shaped leg sections 74 and 76 of the support bracket 30 are interconnected by a transversely extending connector section or wall 78. The bracket 30 also includes a rail assembly 80 having a pair of oppositely facing generally L-shaped guide or mounting tracks 82 and 84 which position a connector support nut 86 for engagement with an outermost threaded end portion of the support rod 16. The nut 86 and the support rod 16 are advantageously made of steel which has a relatively high tensile strength to prevent deformation or stripping of the threads between the nut and support rod when a relatively large load is applied to the track 12. The support rod 16 extends through the support bracket 30 into engagement with the connector section 72 of the track 12 so that when the support rod is screwed or tightened into the nut 86 an end surface of the support rod 16 presses the leg sections 68 and 70 of the track 12 against the leg sections 74 and 76 of the support bracket 30. The rail assembly 80 engages side surfaces of the nut 86 to hold the nut against rotation during the tightening of the support rod 16 against the connector section 72 of the track. For those who are interested, the construction of the support bracket 30 and track 12 are set forth in considerable detail in my copending application Ser. No. 618,791, filed Feb. 27, 1967, entitled Track Supports.

The structure of the support rod mounting bracket 22 and the brace rod mounting bracket 24 is identical to the structure of the connector bracket 26. Therefore, components and passages of the mounting brackets 22 and 24 will be referred to by the same numerals previously used to designate the components of the mounting bracket 26.

As is perhaps best seen in FIG. 4, taken in connection with FIG. 1, the support rod 16 extends into the central passage of the mounting bracket 22. The support rod is fixedly connected to the mounting bracket 22 by the set screws 60 and 62. The mounting bracket 22 is in turn connected to the ceiling or support surface 14 by suitable connector elements such as screws 90 and 92 which extend through holes or apertures 94 and 96 in the base flange 34. The track 12 can be readily adjusted vertically relative to the ceiling 14 by loosening the set screws 60 and 62 and sliding the support rod 16- in the passage 40 of the mounting bracket 22. When the track is positioned at the desired height, the set screws are again tightened to fixedly interconnect the mounting bracket 22 and the support rod 16.

The brace rod 18 extends into the passage 52 in the brace rod mounting bracket 24 in much the same manner as in which the brace rod extends into the passage 52 in the connector mounting bracket 26. Of course, the brace rod mounting bracket 24 is connected to the ceiling 14 with suitable connection means, similar to the screws 90 and 92. The mounting bracket 26 has been shown in abutting engagement with the support bracket 30 (see FIG. 3) to transmit sway or side forces to the brace rod 28 and mounting bracket 24 from a relatively large surface area of the connector section 78 of the support bracket 30. However, the connector bracket 26 could, if a shorter brace rod 18 or longer support rod 16 were used, be positioned in a spaced apart relationship relative to the support bracket 30, that is in a position on a central or intermediate portion of the support rod 16. When the bracket 26 is positioned in a spaced apart relationship with the support bracket 30, sway or side forces are transmitted to the brace rod 18 by the bracket 26. This transmission of sway forces to the brace rod is facilitated by the abutting engagement of an end of the brace rod 18 with the side of the support rod 16, as shown in FIG. 3. When the mounting bracket 26 is spaced apart from the support bracket 30, a lock nut can be advantageously provided on the support rod 16 in abutting engagement with an outer surface of the connector section 78 of the bracket 30.

The operation of the mounting assembly 10 constructed as illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4, will be apparent from the foregoing description. However, it should be noted that the mounting assembly 10 includes a plurality of mutually interchangeable mounting brackets 22 through 26 of similar structure to facilitate installation of the mounting assembly. Each of the mounting brackets 22 through 26 includes a first passage 40 having a longitudinal axis which extends vertically relative to the ceiling 14 and a second passage 52 having a longitudinal axis which extends at an angle of approximately 45 to both the ceiling 14 and the longitudinal axis of the first passage 40.

When the mounting assembly 10 is installed, the support rod 16 is connected to the track 12 by the support bracket 30. The mounting bracket 26 is then slid onto the support rod 16 with the support rod extending through the central passage 40 of the mounting bracket. Next, the outer upper end of the support rod 16 is positioned in the central passage 40 of the mounting bracket 22 which has been connected to the ceiling 14. The vertical position of the track relative to the ceiling 14 is then adjusted and the set screws 60 and 62 tightened to fixedly interconnect the support rod 16 and mounting bracket 22. The brace rod 18 is then positioned loosely in the passage 52 of the mounting bracket 26 and the passage 52 in the mounting bracket 24. The mounting bracket 24 is connected to the ceiling and the set screw 64 tightened to fixedly interconnect the mounting bracket 24 and the brace rod 18. The set screws 60 through 64 in the mounting bracket 26 are then tightened to fixedly interconnect the mounting bracket 26 and the brace rod 18 and support rod 16. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that since the mounting brackets 22 through 26 are mutually interchangeable, it is unnecessary to install a particular mounting bracket at a particular place in the mounting assembly 10. It will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that the order of steps for installing the track 12 can be varied from the particular order set forth above.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown, it should be understood, of course, that the invention is not limited thereto since many modifications may be made.

What is claimed is:

1. An assembly for suspending a track in a spaced apart relationship with a support surface, said assembly comprising: a plurality of mutually interchangeable mounting brackets of similar structure, each of said mounting brackets including a first passage having a longitudinal axis extending in a substantially perpendicular relationship with the support surface, said passage having a length substantially greater than the diameter of the rod to be accommodated thereby so as to provide an elongated rod supporting surface, and a second passage extending at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of said first passage, said second passage having a length substantially greater than the diameter of the rod to be accommodated thereby so as to provide an elongated rod supporting surface; a support rod extending through a first passage in a first mounting bracket of said plurality of mounting brackets to interconnect the track and a second mounting bracket of said plurality of mounting brackets, said second mounting bracket being connected to the support surface with an upper end of the support rod positioned in the first passage in said second mounting bracket to suspend the track from the support surface; a brace rod having a first end portion extending into the second passage of said first mounting bracket and a second end portion extending into the second passage of a third mounting bracket of said plurality of mounting brackets, said third mounting bracket being connected to the support surface to hold the suspended track against movement relative to the support surface, and a plurality of set screw members for securing said rods against displacement with respect to their complementary mount ing bracket.

2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein: each mounting bracket of said plurality of mounting brackets is an integral structure including a "base flange adapted to be positioned in abutting engagement with the support surface and an outwardly projecting body portion, said first passage extending through both said base flange and said body portion, said second passage intersecting said first passage in said body portion to enable said brace rod to abuttingly engage said support rod in the body portion of said first mounting bracket.

3. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein one of said support brackets is mounted on the track for interconnecting the track and said support rod, said support rod having a lower end portion extending through the support bracket into engagement with the upper surface of the track to urge the track into a predetermined relationship with said support bracket.

4. A mounting bracket comprising: a base mounting flange having a flat outer surface for abutting engagement with and attachment to a support surface; an integral body portion extending laterally outwardly from said base flange; a first passage extending through said body portion and the center of said base flange for receiving a support rod, said passage having a length substantially greater than the diameter of the rod to be accommodated thereby so as to provide an elongated rod supporting wall surface; a second passage extending into said body portion and intersecting said first passage at an acute angle for receiving a brace rod, said second passage having a length substantially greater than the diameter of the rod to be accommodated thereby so as to provide an elongated rod supporting wall surface: and a plurality of setscrews extending into said first and second passages to secure the support rod and brace rod against movement relative to the body portion of the mounting bracket.

5. An assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein the support bracket which is mounted on the track includes a channel and a nut within said channel for accommodating the lower extremity of a vertical support rod.

6. A mounting bracket as set forth in claim 4 wherein the passages in the support brackets are defined by unthreaded walls of a bore for slidably receiving a complementary support rod.

7. A mounting bracket as set forth in claim 4 wherein the body portion of the bracket extending laterally outwardly from said base flange is substantially less in gross sectional area than the area defined by said base ange.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 538,610 4/1895 Hunt 104-111 840,267 1/1907 StebbinS. 850,658 4/1907 Koonce 211-182 X 1,033,630 7/1912 Sowers 211-182 X 1,411,234 3/1922 Butler 104-111 X 1,988,260 1/1935 Berghoff. 2,562,406 7/1951 Barker 248-343 X FOREIGN PATENTS 633,256 12/1961 Canada. 1,460,883 10/1966 France.

15,974 1902 Great Britain.

ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner.

J. FRANKLIN FOSS, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

